


Amestris wasn't rebuilt in a day

by bashfulberry



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Civil War Mention, F/M, Fluff, Happy Ending, Late Night Writing, Light Angst, Post-Promised Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-13
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-10-09 09:06:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17404040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bashfulberry/pseuds/bashfulberry
Summary: based on ask-royai-lty's drawing on tumblrOne of the nights after Promised Day, Roy and Riza stay up late working on paperwork





	Amestris wasn't rebuilt in a day

**Author's Note:**

> based on: http://ask-royai-lty.tumblr.com/post/181955648313/im-a-sucker-for-these-types-of-things  
> written at midnight with only one round of edits but I was too excited to post it to keep it in longer

Day 154 after overthrowing the Homunculi government. It has been months, nearing half a year since Amestris started changing for the better. Moving away from its bloody and apocalyptic pat. Following a dimly lit path to glorious future. They have been working day in, day out on the multiple projects regarding various improvements - society's attitude towards Ishval and their common history, restructuring the military, rebuilding a few major cities, establishing new law to reflect the new path. It's been a long, exhausting time. It takes it toll on everyone involved in the process, most of which those who are the most invested in seeing them succeed. After hours of meetings, going through reports, monitoring the progress, helping wih tweaking the plans and sending appropriate orders to be implemented, Riza finally has a moment to breath. A moment to slow down and actually take in the reality of the situation. They're making a real difference and, even at the cost of their sleep deprivation, it's worth it.

They've overthrown the corrupt, homicidal government. They've made a lot of progress in the restoration of Amestris. They've given the residents hope for the future ang goals to work forward to. And above all of that, they've survived. They've lived and have been given this chance to try to redeem themselves, however slightly, in their own eyes. A chance, not to start anew, but to build something new for other people, for the next generation, for Amestris.

There is no happiness she deserves after everything that happened during the civil war, no retribution she could possibly offer the country, no redemption for her to seek. Of that Riza has been sure. In the recent months she has found herself questioning her faith. Just as she doubted their actions in Ishval, more and more with each shot she made, every body hitting the ground lifeless. In similar fashion, every smile her actions brought on an Amestrian's face, every time she saw people from different regions working together, every tear-jerking letter she delivered to Fuhrer Mustang shook the concrete beneath her convictions.

Working late at Mustang's office one night, going through documents right beside him, the exhaustion has finally reached her. All the attempts to shake it off in vain, she wakes up to the feeling of numbness in her arms. She opens her eyes in panic, zeroing in on the clock. 1:45. She has slept for two hours while she was supposed to finish the paperwork. Rising on her arms abruptly, she pushed off a couch only to find a different surface under her hands. Navy blue. Military uniform's pants. The only other person that stayed in the office. Their eyes meet and surely there is the man she swore to follow, to protect, to keep in check. Chill goes down her spine and she opens her mouth to apologize. Roy Mustang leans in, too close for her to hide the audible gulp. His arms reaches over and slides up something warm over her shoulders. His coat. Not the weathered one from the coup age but the one he ordered when the everything started changing. "The work's done. You should get some rest."

There is a gentleness in his voice she hasn't heard since their training days. HIs eyes are tired but a simple smile appears on his face nevertheless. In this moment, Riza doesn't have the energy nor the will to argue. They both deserve a break. "Come on, my place's closer."

She only realizes how her words might be taken when the cold night air hits her face. Sobering up from the slumber, she risks a glance at Mustang. His eyes are only half-open, following her with no indication he might consider it weird or wrong. They get it to her apartment and fall uniformly in her bed, not bothering with taking off anything but boots and coats. As she falls asleep a single hopeful thought appears in her mind. With the morning sun hitting her eyes, armfuls of warm body in front of her and face hidden in a disarray of hair she lets herself smile. Lets herself believe maybe she does deserve a bit of happiness anyway.


End file.
